Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1887-11-30
PARIS PICKPOCKETS.
Interesting Statements Of an Elk
Chief of Detectives.
The Systematic Training Necessary to Z
Successful Career OF Thicving-Some
OF the Most Ingenious Ruses
Practioed.

Tho most interesting book that has
recently appeared in Paris is "Un Joli
Monde" written by NJ. Mace. NJ. Mace
for many years and until eighteen
months ago was the chief of the Paris
detective police His book is devoted
to the seamy side of Partisan life. that
would naturally fall under the observa-
ton of man in that place. Perhaps
one of the most interesting chapters is
that entitled "Pickpockcts and Pick
pockettcs, from which the Times
translates the following:
"Apropos of the pickpockets, there
are professors that make business of
teaching that kind of robbery. Special
schools exist where boys that ought to
be Mt p!ay with their hoops and tops
are initiated into all the secrets of this
art. After few lessons their 'profes-
sors' require them to undergo practical
examinations on manikin. This
manikin. dressed like man and COW
cred with little bells, is suspended
from the ceiling by wire SO that at
The least contact the bells are set to
jingling. A boy is considered ready to
work n crowd when. time and again,
he can take Il purse or pocket-book
from the pocket of the manikin with
Gus ringing II single bell
1.-The true pickpocket is not vulgar
rascal. and you will be astonished to
learn that many Of them have an estab-
lished social position. Some of them
are the keepers of cafes, jewelers., to-
bacconists, aud all of them have the
appearance of honest tradesmen and
respectable people. The English pick
pocket is the best known-he is seen
everywhere but he is not the most
clever. He has in some way acquired
reputation that he does not merit.
He is stiff, constrained in his
movements, and exhibits in his
calling a good deal of the national
phlegm. He is an indcfatigable
walker, and the police agents who fol-
low him up to catch him in the act re-
turn in state of exhaustion. Sly as
serpent, he never yields to any dan
gerous temptation. He never remains
in one crowd longer than ten minutes,
and generally contents himself with
one victim at place. He is most at
home at the races, but even there
never forgets the rules of prudence
that guide him elsewhere. The fever
of betting renders the crowd careless.
Bets arc made. and the horses start,
followed by thousand anxious eyes.
Around they go. Now they draw near
the wire. The crowd bursts into an
uproar; an instant later the air is filled
with the mingled cries of triumph fol-
the winners and the sullen roar of dis
appointment of the losers. The only
man in the crowd who escapes the gen.
eral excitement is the pickpocket. His
face is calm. his head is cool, and his
body, almost glued to that of his VIC
tins, is motionless. His hands alone
are busy, and i'm brief space he has
gathered i'm an abundant harvest.
While he is thus engaged his accom-
plices surround him, each having q
particular role assigned to him in adj.
vance. When rich betting man
makes his way to n bookmaker, some
Of these accompliccs crowd in before
him while Others push him forward
from behind. He is jostled and ell.
bowed by these rogues, whom he takes
to be betting men like himself. and
when he energies from tho crowd he
has left his oocket-book in the hands OF
the operator, who has not failed to take
advantage of his opportunities. The
booty passes from hand to hand TO the
last accomplics, who IS generally the
cashier of the band. The trick taken
the pickpockets separate without stop
ping to see what they have got, ant
begin another operation.
"Pickpockcts have sources of In
formatiol more secret and sure thar
those of The municipal police. Nothing
escapes them, and il is common
thing for pickpockcts in London ant
New York 10 notify confcderates IL
Paris Of the arrival Of good sub
;ccts for the exercise of theil
art As q general thing, al
the pickpockets of the north
the English, Russians, Poles, ant
Germans-arc cold, methodical, auda